ORIGINALLY PRODUCED: 1978-82

ORIGIN: UK

TYPE: Solidbody, active (E) or passive 4-string

BODY: Ash three-piece, twin cutaway, other woods as ordered

NECK: Maple & mahogany laminated, bolt on, 21 medium frets

SCALE LENGTH: 864mm (34-inch)

FINGERBOARD: Rosewood with white pearl dot inlays

HARDWARE: Chrome, adjustable four-saddle bridge/tailpiece assembly

PICKUP: Wal humbucker with two rows of four pole pieces with a separate coil for each of the eight

CONTROLS: Volume, tone, active/passive slide switch

FEATURES: Modular FET active circuitry, body edge plate featured a regular jack or an alternative balanced line XLR for low impedance connection. This was popular with seventies session players but it also allowed the use of much longer leads for those stadium gigs! Schaller tuners with ‘crescent’ gear covers, large plastic scratchplate

FINISHES: Natural, black, colours to order

COMMENTS: The first British production line active bass the Pro Bass was offered with one or two pickups and a passive version was also offered, although relatively few of these were made. Mostly the bodies were ash with the best wood used for the natural finished models, as this was very much in fashion at the time.

If body wood appears unattractive then it was originally a coloured body that has been stripped by the owner! Early versions featured the ungainly ‘spade’ headstock, which was later reduced and reshaped. Passive models could be converted to the active E model if required by fitting the alternative ‘active’ scratchplate that included the battery compartment and the slide switch.